Feel Good Friday: IKEA Lets 100 Cats Roam Through Store

To film a commercial, IKEA released 100 cats in its Wembley, England store after hours.



I am going to start posting Etsy shop features next week so please come back soon!

I would like to feature YOU!

Since I am just starting my blog, I would like to attract some more attention to it. I would like to try and do this by featuring other artists from Etsy. They say Karma works wonders, so I hope by getting some fellow artists some sales I will get some too! All you have to do to be featured is to become a follower of my blog and leave a comment with the address to your Etsy shop. I will be featuring the shops later this week so stop back soon!

My Venture into Web Design

On Thursday my husband bought me a domain for my website! I had been thinking about registering a domain for a while, but was scared because I don't know a lot about the technical ins and out of maintaining a website. Of course, I do some of the web work at my job, however, the production and development sites were already developed for me and I have Dreamweaver installed on my computer. That's why I had to ask Mike for help -- he knows a lot more about those sort of things than I do. He registered the domain name for me and while we work on developing the content the domain links directly to my Etsy account. 

Come check it out at http://www.beadcandi.com!

My Crafting Room

Ok, so it really isn't a whole room, more like a section of my laundry room. When we renovated the basement, having a craft area was one of the requirements. Who cares about a place to iron, where can I put my beads?? I didn't want to spend a lot of money on the area either, so I tried to find the best deals possible. This is what I came up with:

• I was able to get a cabinet and countertop at Habitat for Humanity's ReStore for under $20. I use this cabinet to store my photo props and hold my light setup.
• Since I had recently moved out of my townhouse when I got married, I used my old dresser as a storage area also. I bought the dresser at the Penn State Surplus when I was a senior for $5.
• Also from my previous townhouse, I used the plastic pantry shelves and clear storage drawers to hold additional materials.
• Topping everything off  were two sheets of pegboard that I bought at Home Depot for $6 each and some hooks to go on the pegboard.

Now I have an area that I can keep my bead boxes, a place for my light table, and hooks for all of my bead strings. I also do scrapbooking as a hobby, and the shelves provided a perfect place to put those supplies. Everything is organized.

The craft area is a continually-evolving venture, and any ideas or suggestions would be welcome. Do you have a craft area or a craft room that you would like to share? I would love to see it! 

Check out my finished product:

P.S. That is my cat, Tiger, who is hiding on the shelf!

Waiting for the First Sale

I opened my Etsy store about two weeks ago. Now I am just waiting on my first sale — which seems to be the frustration of many new Etsy sellers. Waiting and patience are the hardest things in this business. Of course, it is my goal to eventually make enough with my jewelry in order to assist in the household expenses down the road. I love reading the success stories of people who were able to quit their day jobs and craft full time. Does anyone have any success stories? How were you able to get your shop to take off? Please share in the comments section!

Art for a Cause Treasury

Last night I created my first Etsy treasury. This one was titled Art for a Cause. I admire the many artists on Etsy who donate some or all of their proceeds to charity. That is why I decided to make this treasury.

My pink crystal Breast Cancer bracelet is featured in the treasury. 10% from the proceeds of this bracelet go to the Susan G. Koman for the Cure. I've also included free shipping on the bracelet, so go out and check it out in my store, and give the other generous artists in this great treasury a look as well.

Welcome: A Little Bit About Me and My Art

My name is Rachel and I specialize in handmade jewelry — especially dangle bracelets, tile pendants, and typewriter jewelry.

I have a regular day job working in public relations. I am trying to get my jewelry business off the ground so I can have a little bit of extra income, and also to support my craft!

I'm married with a stepson, four cats, one dog, and several lizards (which are my husband's and stepson's!). I'm sure that you will hear lots more about my dog and cats, as they are always into something and a continuous source of entertainment — and frustration!

In addition to my blog I also have a shop on Etsy and do local craft shows. Come check out my store and let me know what you think!